Sorting-rack



T. HAWKINS.

SORTING RACK- APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1-8. 1921.

Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

UNITED THOMAS HAWKINS, OF DERBY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR 'IO V. B. SEVERANCE,.

OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE. I

SORTING-RAGK.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patnted N 29 1921?;

Application filed March 18, 1921. Serial No. 453,200.

sorting racks, an object of the invention being to provide a sorting rack for letters,

which will expedite the work of mail car-.

riers in arranging letters delivered on their respective routes.

A further object is to provide a rack of the character described, which will be simple and practical in construction, strong and durable in use, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, theinvention consists in certain novel features 1 of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings .Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved rack;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View in section therethrough' on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view in section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, with the fingers 6 moved to inoperative position to permit the removal of the mail matter from the rack; and

Fig. 4c is an enlarged View in section through one of the shafts 5.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 rep resents a desk or table, supported upon legs 2 and serving to support a sorting rack 3.

The rack 3 is in the form of a rectangular box having an open front and being provided with a plurality of shelves 4;. It is customary to provide a plurality of partitions to divide the spaces between the shelves into a number of pigeon holes and to sort the mail matter into the pigeon holes. I/Vith this form of rack, it is of course necessary to remove the mail matter from one pigeon hole at a time after it has been sorted.

I provide a. ack which is sub-divided into any desired number of compartments to take the place of pigeon holes and in which the partitions between the compartments may be simultaneously and quickly swung,

out of the way after the mail has been sorted and permit an entire shelf of mailto' be removed from the rack at one time.

Referring now to the specific construction, a crank shaft 5 is mounted above and parallel to each of the shelves 4. A plurality of parallel crank fingers such as 6 are rigidly connected to each shaft 5 and depend therefrom dividing each shelf into a number of compartments in which the mail matter may be sorted.

I The shafts 5 extend through one end of the casing, and crank arms 7 are fixed thereto One of the crank arms 7 isprovided with an extension 8 forming a handle and all of the crank arms are connected by a link 9 to compel simultaneous movement of all of the fingers 6 when the handle 8 is V operated. The handle 8 and the crank arm to which it is attached form an operating lever. A spring held locking tongue 9 operated by a handle member 10 pivoted on the lever is selectively engageable in the notches of a. notched sector bar 11, secured to the outer face of the rack. It will thus be seen that the fingers 6 may be locked in the position illustrated in Figs. 1. and 2, while the mail is being sorted and then" swung upwardly and locked in the position illustrated in Fig. 3 to facilitate and expedite the removal of the sorted mail from the rack. I

I have illustrated one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, but it will I be apparent that various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the 'inven- I 1 tion and hence I do not wish to limit myself sider myself at liberty to make such slight.

. to theprecise details set forth, but shall con- I I changes and alterations as fairlyfall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim p 1. In a sorting rack, a plurality of shelves, crank shafts located above the shelves, de

pending crank fingers carried by the shafts and. dividing the shelves into compartments,

means for simultaneously swinging all of said fingers to inoperative"position to facilitate the removal of the sorted matter from the shelves, said means comprising crank arms carried by the shafts, a l nk compelling all of said crank arms to move together, a lever forming a continuatlon of one of said crank arms and controlling the position of the link.

2. In a sorting rack, a plurality of shelves crank shafts located above the shelves, depending erank fingers carried by the shafts and dividing the shelves into compartments, means for simultaneously swinging all of said fingers to inoperative position to facilitate the removal of the sorted matter from the shelves, said means comprising crank arms carried by the shafts, a link compelling all of said crank arms to move together, a lever controlling the position of the link, a notched sector bar, a spring held device carried by the lever and selectively engageable with the notches in the bar to lock the fingers against movement.

THOMAS HAWKINS. 

